Purkay is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a messenger or herald. Purkay is a classic example of an English polygenetic surname, which is a surname that was developed in a number of different locations and adopted by various families independently.

Purkay Early Origins

The surname Purkay was first found in Kent where they held a family seat from very early times, descended from a Norman noble "Perahgoz" meaning "bear-Goth"and were granted lands in Kent by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Purkay Spelling Variations

Purkay Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Purkay were recorded, including Purchase, Purchas, Purchass, Purches, Purchis, Purkiss, Purkess, Purkis, Purkeys, Purkys, Purkes and many more.

Purkay Early History

Purkay Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Purkay research. Another 465 words (33 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1100, 1190, 1497, 1498, 1575, 1626 and 1658 are included under the topic Early Purkay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Purkay Early Notables (pre 1700)

Purkay Early Notables (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir William Purchas, Lord Mayor of London (1497 to 1498); Samuel Purchas (1575?-1626), was an English cleric and travel writer. His "Purchas his Pilgrimage" was...

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Purkay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Purkay arrived in North America very early: Aquila Purchase settled in Boston in 1633; with his wife Anne; Henry Purchase settled in Virginia in 1652; Thomas Purchase settled in Salem in 1630 with his wife Sarah.

Motto

Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

The Purkay Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Purkay Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.